Keiser legislation to protect ‘isolated’ employees from sexual harassment passes out of the Legislature.
OLYMPIA – Employees who work in isolated environments will have better protection against sexual harassment as a result of legislation that passed out of both chambers of the Legislature, last night.
“I have been working on addressing sexual harassment for quite some time. Protecting low-wage, isolated workers is the next step in achieving a harassment-free workplace for us all,” said Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), sponsor of Senate Bill 5258.
“Housekeepers, janitors, security guards, and other individuals working alone on the night-shift are extremely vulnerable to sexual harassment and exploitation,” Keiser said. “This bill was voted off the floor of the Senate and House in a bipartisan manner. This passage of this legislation makes Washington one of the first states in the nation with expanded protections for isolated employees.”
SB 5258 would require certain employers that employ isolated workers to adopt a sexual harassment policy, provide mandatory sexual harassment training, provide a list of resources to employees, and provide a panic button to each isolated worker.
Having passed off both the House and Senate floor, SB 5258 now heads to the Governor’s desk for signing
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For information: Bre Weider, Senate Democratic Communications, 360-786-7326
